In which an overly analytical knitter uses too many words to describe what she's doing.

Saturday, September 17, 2005

Somewhere in My Youth or Childhood . . .

. . . I must have done something good.

My name is listed as a contact on the main Houston SnB webpage. So, I occasionally get knitting related emails from people who I don't know. But the email I received on Thursday was a bit different (with some edits):

Hi Laura,...I'm not interested in joining [your] knitting group, since unfortunately, after knitting for 50 years I'm unable to do so anymore I'm contacting you, because I have "tons" of german yarn that I've accumulated over the years and I would like to give it to someone that is capable of using it the way it should be. There is not cost involved (other than you having to pick it up at my house). Please let me know if you're interested.(signed) Complete Stranger

Hello! Am I interested? You betcha! I emailed Mrs. Stranger to set up a pick up time. In her return email she mentioned that she also had a "ton" of knitting books, some in German. Did I know any knitter who could read German? she asked. Well, because I am an American-born Chinese-Filipino, naturally the only other language that I know is German. Weee!

Peter and I drove over to Mrs. Stranger's house the morning and came home with this:

I have no idea what I'm going to do with it all. I'll probably trade or give a lot of it away. Maybe I will get it organized and invite the people in my SnB to paw through it and take what they want. Maybe I will send boxes of random yarn to people I know. Right now I'm just completely overwhelmed!

It's always sad when someone has to stop knitting, but the sadness is helped by such a generous gift. My aunt is knitting less and less (92 years old). She let me paw thru her stash, but I couldn't bring myself to take much. I got a sense she was ambivalent, as it wasn't a "here, take it all" kind of pawing. She has been giving me pattern books up the wazoo though.....

Lucky you! those turquoisey looking mohair/angora balls are inspiring...I looked at your FO's... If you remember clues about interpreting IW's Koigu Heart Sachets, I'd be most appreciative... The way I'm reading the pattern, I have stitch holders all over the place like warts. :-(Hope you are well out of Rita's way....